Preston North End Women moved up to fifth in the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division with a 4-2 win away at Derby County on Sunday afternoon.
Goals from Nikki Emery, Yasmine Swarbrick, Laura Walker and Chelsea Flanagan secured the win to make it seven straight wins for the Lilywhites.
PNE started on the front foot and were ahead inside nine minutes as Emery scored her first for the Club since her move from Blackburn Rovers.
She latched onto a through ball from midfield and applied the finish at the second attempt after seeing her first shot saved by Amie Burton.
Following the early goal the game quietened down with both teams competing in a midfield battle in poor conditions.
Emery had a chance to add her second of the game in the 30th minute but couldn’t get her shot on target after being played in by Sarah Chadwick.
However it wasn’t long until the lead was doubled with Swarbrick adding another goal to her tally a minute later.
The move started in the middle of the pitch and culminated with Flanagan pulling the ball back for Swarbrick to slide into the bottom corner for 2-0.
Derby rarely troubled PNE goalkeeper Danielle Brown in the first half but created a chance towards the interval.
Jemma Grimadell found herself free on the left hand side of the area but couldn’t find a way past Brown who saved well to ensure the two goal cushion going into half-time.
Similarly to the first half, PNE were dominant from the off after the restart.
Swarbrick was denied a second goal by Burton after she tipped her effort onto the crossbar before the former Liverpool midfielder turned provider for Emery, who was inches away from another goal.
The impressive Swarbrick was a thorn in the side of the Derby defence all afternoon and her direct run in the 54th minute earned PNE a penalty after it was abruptly ended by Louisa Abbey.
Laura Walker took on the penalty duties and the captain calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to extend PNE’s lead to three goals.
The goal seemed to spark Derby into life as they pushed for a way back into the game almost immediately but they were once again unable to find a way past Brown, this time denying Natalie Reay after she broke the offside trap.
With ten minutes left the home side eventually pulled one back.
PNE failed to clear their lines from a corner and Rhian O’Callaghan poked home from close range to reduce the deficit.
The mini revival didn’t last very long though as the Lilywhites went up the other end two minutes later to restore their three goal advantage.
Swarbrick split the Derby defence with a through ball and Flanagan chipped the ball over the onrushing Burton to make it 4-1.
As the clock ticked towards the 90th minute, Brown pulled off another impressive save to deny substitute Emily Jeffrey at the back post before the Derby centre back added another consolation with a minute left to make it 4-2.
The full time whistle sounded shortly after the goal and it confirmed PNE’s seventh win in a row, moving them up to fifth in the FAWPL Northern Division ahead of Wednesday’s Lancashire County Cup semi-final against Blackburn Rovers at AFC Darwen, kick-off 7.45pm.
PNE started on the front foot and were ahead inside nine minutes as Emery scored her first for the Club since her move from Blackburn Rovers.
She latched onto a through ball from midfield and applied the finish at the second attempt after seeing her first shot saved by Amie Burton.
Following the early goal the game quietened down with both teams competing in a midfield battle in poor conditions.
Emery had a chance to add her second of the game in the 30th minute but couldn’t get her shot on target after being played in by Sarah Chadwick.
However it wasn’t long until the lead was doubled with Swarbrick adding another goal to her tally a minute later.
The move started in the middle of the pitch and culminated with Flanagan pulling the ball back for Swarbrick to slide into the bottom corner for 2-0.
Derby rarely troubled PNE goalkeeper Danielle Brown in the first half but created a chance towards the interval.
Jemma Grimadell found herself free on the left hand side of the area but couldn’t find a way past Brown who saved well to ensure the two goal cushion going into half-time.
Similarly to the first half, PNE were dominant from the off after the restart.
Swarbrick was denied a second goal by Burton after she tipped her effort onto the crossbar before the former Liverpool midfielder turned provider for Emery, who was inches away from another goal.
The impressive Swarbrick was a thorn in the side of the Derby defence all afternoon and her direct run in the 54th minute earned PNE a penalty after it was abruptly ended by Louisa Abbey.
Laura Walker took on the penalty duties and the captain calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to extend PNE’s lead to three goals.
The goal seemed to spark Derby into life as they pushed for a way back into the game almost immediately but they were once again unable to find a way past Brown, this time denying Natalie Reay after she broke the offside trap.
With ten minutes left the home side eventually pulled one back.
PNE failed to clear their lines from a corner and Rhian O’Callaghan poked home from close range to reduce the deficit.
The mini revival didn’t last very long though as the Lilywhites went up the other end two minutes later to restore their three goal advantage.
Swarbrick split the Derby defence with a through ball and Flanagan chipped the ball over the onrushing Burton to make it 4-1.
As the clock ticked towards the 90th minute, Brown pulled off another impressive save to deny substitute Emily Jeffrey at the back post before the Derby centre back added another consolation with a minute left to make it 4-2.
The full time whistle sounded shortly after the goal and it confirmed PNE’s seventh win in a row, moving them up to fifth in the FAWPL Northern Division ahead of Wednesday’s Lancashire County Cup semi-final against Blackburn Rovers at AFC Darwen, kick-off 7.45pm.